Modular shelving assembly



2 Sheets-Sheet 2 S. W. JENTZEN MODULAR SHELVING ASSEMBLY Filed May 16.1961 July 9, 1963 INVENToR. sro/Vey nf ./.ls/vv-zE/vl BY f5/MM Armen/EYUnited States Patent O 3,096,733 MODULAR SHELVBNG ASSEMBLY Sydney W.Jentzen, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., assigner to Jentzen-Miller Company,Troy, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed May 16, 1961, Ser. No.110,582 4 Claims. (Cl. 10S-15d) This invention relates to shelving andmore particularly to a shelving assembly or room divider construction.

yIt i-s the object of the present invention to provide a modular form ofshelving assembly, using a series of similarly shaped upright studs,which are suitably spaced and arranged to provide support memberstogether with shelving spacers interposed between pairs :of said studsand with means for simply, yet Xedly `securing said shelving to thestuds to thu-s define a shelving assembly.

It is another object of the present' invention to provide a novel form.of stud construction of an extruded formation, with `elongated undercutslots in opposed walls thereof providing 1a means by which shelvingsupporting fasteners may be interlocked and secured and variablyadjusted, as desired.

Itis a further object of the present invention to provide a modular formof shelving assembly employing a series of uniform mounting studs inpredetermined spaced relation and interposed between the said studs aseries of horizontally disposed spacing elements which may be shelves orcabinets, or the like, yfor providing an interesting room divider, orother shelving arrangement for display or other purposes.

The present invention also has ior its object the construction of anovel form of dastener by which shelving and cabinets may be easilysecured and adjusted with respect to the supporting studs, as desired.

Tlhese and other objects will be seen from the following specificationand claims in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the present shelving or roomdivider assembly.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section taken through the lower portion of theassembly shown in FIG. 1, land partially broken away, for illustration.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary Isection taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 4 4 oi FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a plan View of a fastener nut employed.

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the lower end of one of thestuds, on an enlarged scale and illustrating the mounting ot ltheadjustable foot therefore.

FIG. 8 is a section taken on line 8 3 of FIG. 7.

It will be understood that the above drawings illustrate merely apreferred embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments arecontemplated within the scope off the claims hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, the present room divider, or shelvingassembly, is of a modular type of construction and may be extendedlaterally and enlarged as desired by the application tot suitableshelving or by cabinets interposed between a series of parallel spacedupright supporting :studs generally indicated at 11.

Each of the studs -11 are preferably formed of an extruded metal such asaluminum, though not limited to aluminum and have formed throughouttheir length and arranged upon opposite sides thereof the continuouslongitudinally extending dovetailed type slots 12, which provide theinterlocking means :for mounting shelving and cabinets as hereinafterdescribed.

The studs 11 thus include the inwardly directed flanges 13 arranged uponopposite sides of the reduced portion of the dovetail apertures 12, saidflanges being the retaining means for the locking nuts hereinafterdescribed, and which nuts are adjusted longitudinally within the saidelongated slot 12.

The opposing righteangularly related sides of the said studs are planeas indicated at 14, FIG. 8.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, by way of illustration inFIG. 1 there is shown the horizontally disposed shelf 15 which isinterposed between the respective upright pairs of studs 11 andladjustably, yet xedly secured thereto by the fastening mechanism aboutto be described.

The cabinet assembly is also generally indicated at 16 in FIG. l, alsointerposed between opposed pairs of parallel upright stud-s 11 landsecured thereto. Each of the upright studs 11 has mounted at its lowerend an adjustable foot for the purpose of properly leveling thesupporting structure. For this purpose, the said studs at their lowerends have central interiorly threaded bores 17 adapted to threadedly andadjustably receive the threaded studs `18, which project thereinto.

Each of the said studs carries a hex-shaped collar 19 arranged directlybelow the lower ends of the respective studs. Stud 18 also includes arivet head 20 in order to retainngly engage the plastic or Bakelitesupporting foot `21, as best illustrated in FIG. 7.

rFhe speciiic means by which the shelving or cabinets are secured Withinand between the supporting studs 11, is best illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3,4. For illustration with respect to FIG. 3, a portion of the cabinet 15is fragmentarily shown and has [formed inwardly from its outer endportions adjacent the corners thereof the elongated bores 23 withinwhich nest the elongated Shanks 22 ot the fasteners 24, which areflattened for sliding cooperative e11- gagement with the outer ilattenedsurfaces of the flanges 13, which form a portion of the studs 11, asbest illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

Suitable threaded stud 25, exteriorly knurled for ease in operation, isprojected transversely through a central aperture formed in the headportion 24 of the fastener for cooperative projection through thethreaded bore 26 of the securing nuts 27, which are of T-form in crosssection.

The said nuts 27 are of parallelogram form with par-a1- lel tapered endportions 28 and of such widths as to t between the opposed lian-ges 13by which the said nuts rnay be introduced into the dovetailed slots 12as shown in FIG. 4, in dotted lines. After projection between theilanges 13, the nut 28 is rotated 90 degrees to the solid line positionshown in FIG. 4, and the stud 2S is tightened so that the one-surface ofthe nut 28 operatively enga-ges the interior wall portion correspondingto the flanges 13 by which the shelving 15 is secured in verticallyadjusted position with respect to the corresponding stud 11.

Each of the nuts 28 also include a central cylindrical shank 30 whichcooperatively projects between the corresponding flanges 13 and which islongitudinally slit from opposite sides as at 31 in order to provide -asmall expansion during the fastening oper-ation.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the studs 25 are in thenature of Allen screws and have a hex-opening 29 to facilitate theapplication of an Allen wrench for the tightening or loosening thereof.

Referring to FIG. l, a pair of cabinets are generally indicated at 16,as interposed between corresponding pairs of upright studs 11, and areXedly secured thereto in the same manner as above described inconjunction with the securing of the shelving elements 15 with respectto the studs 11. This construction is further illustrated at FIG. 2,wherein it is seen that the lefthand stud 11 employs a single verticallyadjustable nut, a single securing Allen screw 25 and the pair ofsubstantially aligned fastener assemblies 22-24, whose heads are inoverlapped registry to receive the single fastener 2S.

Referring to FIGS. 1 `and 2, the cabinet 16 includes the upright rearwall 32 which is interposed between the rear opposed pairs of studs 11and suitably secured thereto adjacent the top `and bottom of the saidrear panel as by the -similar set of fastening elements 22-24, bestillustrated in FIG. 2 at the upper left side. All that is required isthat a suitable bore 23 be formed into the longitudinal end portions ofthe respective panel 32 adjacent its upper and lower edges, after whichthe shafts 22 of the locking fasteners are projected thereinto with theflattened head portions 24 extending outwardly therefrom for registrywith the slotted rear wall of the stud 11. Here the assembly is the sameas above described and the back panel 32 is fixedly, yet adjustablysecured to the corresponding rear studs 11 in the manner herein abovedescribed.

The cabinet 16 also shows the upright end walls 33 which are normallymerely mounted upon the respective top and bottom shelves which definethe cabinet 16 4and suitably secured thereto.

The upper of the two cabinets 16 has front panel 34 which serves as adoor and is longitudinally hinged at its inner longitudinal edge as at35 to a front portion of the support element 15 which forms a part ofthe cabinet corresponding to the shelving 15, also shown in FIG. 1. Herea suitable magnetic catchplate 36 is provided on the inner surface ofthe panel 34 for -registry with the corresponding metal plate 37, on thetop shelving element of the said cabinet when the panel 34 is in uprightposition.

The said door panel 34 isV retained yin the open horizontal positionshown by a pair of flexible stays 38, -anchored at 39 to interiorportions of the end walls 33 and Iat the respective other ends securedas of 40 to outer portions of the panel 34, for illustration.

The present construction thus defines a modular shelving arrangementemploying `a simplified meansl by which a series of horizontally:disposed shelving elements, or cabinet elernents m-ay be interposed andadjust-ably secured to the respective pairs of studs 11 within andbetween which the said members are mounted.

- Should it be desired to effect a vertical adjustment of an individualshelf 15, such `as either the uppermost shelves, for illustration, allthat is necessary is to merely loosen the Allen studs or screws 25 andraise or lower the shelving 15, as desired, -afterwhich the studs arere-secured so that the T-nuts lock within the ldovetail grooves 12 for`securing the shelving in any desired vertical position.

The flattened heads of fasteners 24 are oifset relative to the yaxes ofthe fastener Shanks 22. Said fasteners are thus reversible and thus maybe used in one of two 180i degree positions of yassembly for aligning aseries of shelving.

In the preferred embodiment, all the bores 23 `are at a ixed idistancefrom the edge of the shelving, such as /3. of an inch, for illustration.Accordingly the offset Vrelationship of the at head with respect to theshank permits lan adjustabil-ity factor in the assembly of the shelving.

The securing nuts 27 include on their rear surfaces, one or moredimples, or a coating 41 of a resilient plastic material such as vinyl.By this construction, the nut may be frictionally retained in apredetermined longitudinally adjustable position in the stud 11. Thisassists in the yassembly of the shelving and prevents the nuts 27 frommoving `accidentally from a predetermined location yet leaves the nutsmanually adjustable as desired.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to thefollowing claims:

I claim:

1. A shelving assembly comprising transversely spaced pairs of spacedupright studs mountable upon `a support surface, each stud having formedin its front and rear face throughout its length, an elongated unde-rcutslot, a horizontally disposed shelving panel interposed between andspacing apart `said pairs of studs, mounting keys, each including anelongated shank projected longitudinally into and frictionally nestedwithin corresponding bores in the ends of said panel adjacent lits frontand rear, -said keys including flattened heads extending longitudinallyof the ends of said panel and bearing Iagainst the respective faces ofsaid studs overlying said slots, T-shaped nuts nested in said slots andlongitudinally adjustable therein, and a fastener extending throughe-ach head threaded into a nut for -frictionally securing the samewithin its slot.

2. A shelving assembly comprising transversely spaced pairs of spacedupright studs mountable upon la support surface, each stud having formedin its front and rear face throughout its length, an elongated undercutslot, a series of horizontally disposed shelving panels interposedbetween and spacing apart said pairs of studs, the securing of each ofsaid panels to said studs including mounting keys, each including anelongated shank projected longitudinally into and frictionally nestedwithin corresponding bores in the ends of each panel adjacent its frontand rear, said keys including flattened heads extending longitudinallyof theends of said panel and bearing against the respective faces ofsaid studs overlying said slots, T-shaped nuts nested in said slots andlongitudinally adjustable therein, and a fastener extending through eachhead threaded into a nut for frictionally securing the same within itsslot. 3. In the shelving assembly of claim 1, the head of each key beingdisplaced from the longitudinal -axis of its elongated shank, so thatthe key may be selectively used in one of two degree related positions.

4. The shelving assembly of claim l, `and a l-ayer of resilient materialon the rear surface of said nuts for lfrictional temporary retainingengagement with said studs.

References Cited in theiile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 866,695Taussig Sept. 24, 1907 1,820,667 Leyes Aug. 25, 1931 2,692,109 SchmidtOct. 19, 1954 2,784,812 Kindorf Mar. 12, 1957 2,876,978 Robinson Mar.l0, 1959 2,987,358 Roberts June 6, 1961

1. A SHELVING ASSEMBLY COMPRISING TRANSVERSELY SPACED PAIRS OF SPACEDUPRIGHT STUDS MOUNTABLE UPON A SUPPORT SURFACE, EACH STUD HAVING FORMEDIN ITS FRONT AND REAR FACE THROUGHOUT ITS LENGTH, AN ELONGATED UNDERCUTSLOT, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED SHELVING PANEL INTERPOSED BETWEEN ANDSPACING APART SAID PAIRS OF STUDS, MOUNTING KEYS, EACH INCLUDING ANELONGATED SHANK PROJECTED LONGITUDINALLY INTO AND FRICTIONALLY NESTEDWITHIN CORRESPONDING BORES IN THE ENDS OF SAID PANEL ADJACENT ITS FRONTAND REAR, SAID KEYS INCLUDING FLATTENED HEADS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLYOF THE ENDS OF SAID PANEL AND BEARING AGAINST THE RESPECTIVE FACES OFSAID STUDS OVERLYING SAID SLOTS, T-SHAPED NUTS NESTED IN SAID SLOTS ANDLONGITUDINALLY ADJUSTABLE THEREIN, AND A FASTENER EXTENDING THROUGH EACHHEAD THREADED INTO A NUT FOR FRICTIONALLY SECURING THE SAME WITHIN ITSSLOT.